Metastatic Breast Cancer
Nicole Niccoli’s Story
Breast Cancer has taken so much from Nicole’s family, but she is now choosing to move forward with purpose: living more fully, gathering knowledge for her daughters, and holding onto the hope that research today could help protect them tomorrow.
“Before, I wasn’t living,” she shared. “But now I am trying to truly live every day.”
Read MoreMelissa Huber’s Story
Melissa Huber’s breast cancer story begins with her son.
At just four and a half years old, James helped her face one of the most emotional moments of treatment: losing her hair. As Melissa sat in the salon chair, tears rolling down her face, her little boy looked at her and said words she still carries with her today.
“Mommy, you do not need hair to be beautiful.”
Diagnosed at 34, Melissa has faced breast cancer, treatment, recurrence, bone metastases, and liver lesions with honesty, grit, and deep love for the little boy who remains her reason why.
Read MoreWhy Our Models Choose to Dance the Runway
Experience the power of Runway for Recovery through the voices of our Models—individuals who are breast cancer previvors, survivors, currently in treatment, and those living with metastatic breast cancer, alongside the legacies of loved ones we honor and remember.
Read MoreArlene’s Story
Arlene, a resilient single mother living in New York City, is navigating life with stage IV metastatic breast cancer. Through it all, she remains deeply grateful for the support of Runway for Recovery, which has helped ease the financial burden of everyday expenses and made it possible for her children to continue participating in the activities they love.
Inspired by her own experience, Arlene has become a source of strength for others. She now supports and uplifts newly diagnosed patients, offering empathy, guidance, and a powerful reminder that they are not alone.
Read MoreSiobhan’s Story
Siobhan Donovan, a mother and wife living with metastatic breast cancer, shares her journey and the profound impact of organizations like Runway. A grant has enabled her to focus on her identity beyond cancer, cherishing precious moments and milestones with her children. She emphasizes living fully, being present for every ‘first,’ and enjoying her children’s development.
Read MoreValerie’s Story
Valerie David’s story is one of extraordinary resilience, purpose, and unwavering hope.
Valerie is a 27-year cancer survivor who has faced multiple diagnoses across her lifetime—from Stage III Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma to Stage II breast cancer, and now living with Stage IV metastatic breast cancer with bone metastases. “Breast cancer has shaped who I am today by inspiring me to help others through the performing arts,” she shares. For the past eight years, she has been living with metastatic disease, continuing to defy expectations and rewrite what survivorship can look like.
Read MoreCaroline’s Story
Caroline will never forget the day that changed her life forever. “August 21, 2024,” she shared. “It was two days after my mother’s birthday and two days before my husband’s 50th birthday.”
Read MoreLucy’s Story
Lucy’s diagnosis came in a moment that could not have felt more surreal.
She was out to dinner with friends on a Saturday night when she received the results of her PET scan. What she read changed everything.
Read MoreSadiqa’s Story
Breast cancer was something Sadiqa thought she understood—first as a child watching her aunt go through it, and later as a physician caring for others. But at 34, just beginning her career and newly married, it became her own reality.
Read MoreBeth’s Story
Beth Gelman’s story is one of profound loss, unwavering honesty, and a deliberate, powerful choice to live with joy.
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